Battery Recycling

The Munich-based battery recycler tozero has begun operations at an industrial demonstration plant for recovering critical raw materials from used batteries. Located at Chemical Park Gendorf, the facility was built in six months, according to the company. The plant is expected to process approximately 1,500 tons of battery material annually and recover more than 100 tons of lithium carbonate, as well as graphite and nickel-cobalt mixtures. tozero states that it uses an acid-free hydrometallurgical process that enables recovery in a single step. The resulting materials are expected to be pure enough for direct reuse in production. Additionally, tozero claims that its method is more cost-effective than traditional mining.  According to the company, recycled lithium and graphite have already been qualified by battery component manufacturers. The plant serves as the basis for a larger production facility, which is planned for completion by 2030. This plant is expected to process 45,000 tons of battery material annually and supply significantly higher volumes of lithium and graphite. Significance for Raw Material Supply in Europe Recycled raw materials are becoming increasingly important in the context of broader policy objectives, such as the EU Critical Raw Materials Act. Currently, Europe is heavily dependent on imports, particularly for lithium and graphite. At the same time, the volume of used batteries is growing due to the rise of electric mobility. Therefore, the company views recycling as a key component in reducing this dependence. Source:Information via email

Lithium carbonate recovered from used nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) batteries by Aachen-based “cylib” has been qualified as suitable for production of new electric vehicle batteries.

German company Accurec claims it has opened the first recycling plant in Europe capable of recovering lithium from all types of such batteries.

Finnish battery material producer Tracegrow has presented a solution for extracting battery-grade manganese based entirely on recycled raw materials sourced from within the EU.

US-based company Redwood Materials has started recovering various critical raw materials at its Berkeley County site in South Carolina.

With an eye on EU regulations and the planned battery passport, Ascend Elements from the US and GEM from China intend to collaborate on battery recycling in Europe.

Environmental services provider PreZero has acquired German “Re.Lion.Bat. Circular,” which operates Europeʼs largest recycling plant for lithium-ion batteries in Meppen.

Chinese battery material company CNGR has established a recycling joint venture with German specialist “revomet”, a subsidiary of CRONIMET Group.

Glencore Canada Corporation has completed the acquisition of a significant portion of Li-Cycle Holdings Corp.’s assets. The transaction was carried out as part of a credit bid and the assumption of certain liabilities. The purchase agreement was signed in May 2025. According to the company, the purchase includes so-called “spoke” facilities in Arizona, Alabama, New York, Ontario, and Germany. At these locations, used batteries are processed by being dismantled and converted into black mass. The acquisition also includes the hub project in Rochester, New York, which is still under construction. There, the black mass from the various spoke facilities will undergo chemical processing to recover the metals it contains at a high level of purity. In addition to the physical facilities, Glencore acquired Li-Cycle’s intellectual property. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice approved the acquisition, and a US federal court recognized it under Chapter 15 bankruptcy proceedings. This concludes the court-supervised sale and investor process for Li-Cycle. Source:https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/early-warning-press-release-in-respect-of-li-cycle-holdings-corp–843793040.html